Guest Author: Lauren Leese

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I adore relaxing in coffee shops, and one of my favorite items to order is a London Fog. This classic tea latte is made with Earl Grey tea and steamed milk, and it’s a great drink to relax with when it’s cold outside.

Unfortunately, it’s not all perfection - London Fogs are often packed with sugar in cafes, making them both super unhealthy and too sickly sweet for a lot of people such as myself.

Personally, I think it’s a shame that a drink with so much potential is so bad for you, so I headed into my kitchen and messed around until I landed on my favorite homemade London Fog latte recipe ever. And the best part my version is vegan and contains absolutely no caffeine!

In this post, I’ll be sharing:

 

• The London Fog ingredients & method (with my vegan and caffeine free choices)
• Tips for making your London Fog, including the best decaf tea to use for healthy all-day drinking(!)
• How to make my vegan London Fog recipe without a frother or any other specialized equipment
• How to adjust the recipe for keto and paleo diets

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For more info about which teas are safe for the keto and paleo diets: Best Teas for the Keto and Paleo Diets.

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Okay, let’s get into it!

 

Ingredient Notes Before We Start

Which Milk?

Of course, a London Fog is a tea latte, so milk is the main ingredient. There are plenty of vegan-friendly milk substitutes to choose from. For this recipe, I decided to use oat milk - it’s relatively tasteless and creates a lovely, creamy consistency.

However, feel free to pick any milk alternative you like; just be aware that the flavor may change subtly depending on what you choose. If you’re not sure which milk is best for you, check out our post about milk substitutes in tea and their pros and cons: Is Milk in Tea Bad for You? + Huge Milk Alternatives Comparison.

 

Which Tea?

Your choice of tea is paramount. This recipe uses loose leaf tea to get the best flavor and the greatest health benefit. Classy Earl Grey Rooibos is one of my favorite Earl Grey blends ever, and it’s both high in antioxidants and completely caffeine-free - so naturally, this was the tea I picked.

If you would in face prefer a caffeinated version, try our Classic Earl Grey Black Tea.

 

Flavors & Sweeteners

Lavender is an essential ingredient in a London Fog, and I used that as an excuse to sneak another of my favorite teas into the mix - Pretty in Purple Lavender Chamomile!

This chamomile blend contains a heck of a lot of lavender, making it ideal for adding that floral flavor. You can, of course, use regular culinary lavender, but I find that the chamomile adds an extra subtle flavor and improves the drink’s texture.

A key point of this recipe is that you can make it as sweet as you like. The vanilla and lavender ensure that your London Fog will be delicious even if you don’t add any sweetener, but a little agave nectar is a wonderful vegan-friendly way to add some sweetness.

Note: we'll deal with how to make this recipe Keto and Paleo friendly after the recipe, don't worry!

Now, without further ado, let’s create our cozy drink!

 

RECIPE: How to Make a Vegan London Fog Tea Latte

This recipe makes one 8-ounce cup of London Fog. If you want to make multiple mugs of this delicious drink, simply multiply the measurements in this recipe by the number of servings you want.

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup of your chosen milk (I used oat milk)
• 2-3 tsp 'Classy Earl Grey Rooibos'
• 1 tsp 'Pretty in Purple Lavender Chamomile'
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Agave nectar to taste

 

 

 Method: Let’s Get To It!

  1. Put the milk in a saucepan and heat it on a stove until the edges of the liquid are just bubbling. No rolling boil here!

2. Add both the Earl Grey and lavender chamomile teas. Whisk gently and let simmer for a couple of minutes.

 

 

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3. Add the vanilla extract and agave nectar to your taste (I just used a teaspoon of agave - you don’t need much, or any!) Simmer for another two minutes.

 

 

4. Once the second two minutes is up (so total 4 minutes), strain the liquid into a small bowl and then whisk vigorously to create a foam on the top. This step is optional, but it’s fun!

Note that oat milk is way easier to froth than most other milk alternatives, so if you want the foam, I recommend making your London Fog with oat milk.

 

 

5. Finally, pour into a mug and enjoy! The taste of this vegan London Fog is aromatic and deliciously sweet without being sickly or overpowering.

It must be noted that this drink is not suitable for paleo or keto diets as it’s written above. However, there are some adjustments you can make to create a London Fog tea that works for your diet!

 

 

How to Make a Keto Diet London Fog

At first glance, the high-fat low-carb keto diet doesn’t seem to lend itself to sweet treats, so it might seem like a delicious London Fog is out of reach for keto followers. This isn’t true at all! Here’s how to make your London Fog keto-friendly:

1. First, axe the sweeteners. Keto is all about cutting out sugars, so any kind of sweet addition, even agave, is a no-no. Fortunately, the vanilla and lavender are keto-friendly and will give you plenty enough sweetness.
2. Be careful about your choice of milk. Oat milk is way too high in carbs for a keto diet, so be sure to choose an alternative that’s right for you. Seed, nut and coconut milks tend to be safe bets. (A London Fog with coconut milk sounds amazing!!!)

Once you’ve made those switches, you can have your gorgeous London Fog Keto latte and drink it too!

 

 

How to Make a Paleo-Friendly London Fog

The paleo diet is inspired by what humans ate in the Paleolithic era, and is focused on only eating healthy, whole foods. As with the keto diet, a few tweaks are needed in order to make this London Fog tea recipe right for you.

 

• Like keto followers, you’ll need to select your milk carefully. Oat milk is out because it’s made with grains. Cow’s milk is in a bit of a gray area, but if it’s safe for you to drink and you’ve decided you’re okay with drinking it on this diet, then go for it.
• The most paleo-friendly option from our understanding is coconut milk or nut milks, but make sure the milk you’re buying isn’t full of processed junk by checking its ingredients.
• Agave nectar is processed and not acceptable on the paleo diet, so I recommend replacing it with raw honey - or just skipping the sweetener altogether.
• Vanilla extract is often used in paleo recipes, but it’s important to be extra careful about where you get it from. Make sure the brand you pick doesn’t contain any added sugar, and avoid artificial vanilla flavoring at all costs!

 

 There you have it, your London Fog - paleo friendly!

 

A Note from Lauren...

I love visiting coffee shops (who doesn’t?!), but sometimes it’s best to bring the coffee shop to you, especially in a pandemic! This simple recipe is my new favorite drink for a relaxing afternoon and my favorite Rooibos version being naturally caffeine free, great for the evening and night too.

If you make yourself a London Fog with this recipe, we’d love to see it, so be sure to post it on Instagram! Tag us @MatchaAlternatives and use the hashtag #matchaalternatives, to get a feature!

  

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Disclaimer

All of the information regarding the herbs, botanicals, minerals, vitamins, etc., is information drawn from traditional use data or academic research and should be regarded as such. If you, the reader, has a health or medical concern, please consult your healthcare professional. The information found here is not meant to diagnose, treat, prescribe or cure and has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is for educational purposes only.